


Mirror

by Kisara



Category: Tales of Xillia
Genre: Angst, Gen, Ludger ending, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-16
Updated: 2016-09-16
Packaged: 2018-08-15 09:27:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8051038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kisara/pseuds/Kisara
Summary: Ludger's Ending AU. When Ludger holds his daughter for the first time, he finally realizes that what he's still looking for has been lost for a long time.





	Mirror

**Author's Note:**

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELLE!! ♥
> 
> I wrote this piece for one of my best friend's birthday since she's a huge Ludger fangirl, and I really hope it's good! I started thinking about Ludger/Victor, and I wanted to write about how I think it could have happened, so... Here's this small one-shot ^^
> 
> I admit I'm a little insecure about this one, but I still hope you can all enjoy it! ♥
> 
> PS: I just want to make sure I mention that I owe a huge THANK YOU to angelle-wings for motivating me and supporting me! I couldn't have finished this one without you!! ♥

My daughter was sleeping peacefully, but I couldn’t be more awake and aware of everything around me. In fact, I couldn’t even tell when I started waiting for this moment, exactly; after I met Lara for the first time, Elle was closer to me than she had been in a long time… But, the truth was, I’d been secretly hoping to see her again ever since I realized the Elle I knew would be gone forever. And now, I was about to hold my own daughter for the very first time. As much as I repeated that word in my head, it still didn’t feel real.

She looked so tiny that I was almost too afraid to hurt her by accident, and her small body was so warm that I could feel it even before my skin touched hers for the first time. I was very careful to pick her up, and I hugged her close to me as slowly as I could. When I placed her against my chest, Elle opened her eyes and looked at me for the first time.

I wasn’t surprised to find myself staring into green irises that looked exactly like my own, just like a mirror. Yet, at the same time, those eyes weren’t as familiar as I remembered. I didn’t know why it bothered me; I always knew this Elle in my arms would be a different person, entirely. She was my daughter, and I’d get to know this little girl as she grew up to become her own Elle. I didn’t want to miss a thing.

However, looking into her eyes… It made me wish to look into the eyes of the Elle I knew, a least one more time. I loved the Elle I was holding much more than I thought it was possible, but I also cherished the memories I had of an energetic young lady that guided me and everyone to where we are today. The girl in my arms yawned, and I could see the traces that would someday become the face I knew so well, and missed desperately. However, even her movements felt the same way. Familiar, and yet completely unknown to me.

The Elle I knew was the Elle I knew, and this Elle was this Elle. The repetition made it even more obvious, but something was still out of place, as if my mind refused to make a connection between them. I patiently waited for years to find this bond again, only so that now I could realize… It wasn’t there. All this time, I tried to avoid even thinking of this possibility, but now every instinct I had was screaming at me, making me remember that my own daughter and I would never have the same connection I had with the Elle I knew. And when I thought about this, although I wanted to escape myself and my own thoughts, I realized my cold reality.

This Elle wasn’t  _ my  _ Elle.

I shook my head to dismiss the thought as quickly as it came, but it was too late. My Elle was long gone, and I had to make sure the sacrifice she made wasn’t in vain, especially for the sake of the girl in my arms. The baby I held was one of the souls we had fought so hard to protect. We all faced our battles with everything we had, even the scared girl who could have been my daughter, and who gave her life for us. 

I kissed my daughter’s head, and placed her back in her bed. The girl put her arms up, trying to reach for me, and I approached her enough to let her hold my index finger. Now, even the warmth of her skin felt different; still comforting, yet out of place at the same time.

No.  _ No _ ...

I had to get these thoughts out of my head.

This baby girl was my daughter, and I would do whatever it took to protect my Elle. 


End file.
